Tired of looking for a parking spot in downtown Manhattan Beach? Now there's one new option open you: A parking lot behind U.S. Bank at 400 Manhattan Beach Blvd. now has 2-hour public parking spots available (enter on Morningside Drive).

Here's the fine print: The two-hour parking is available Monday through Friday evenings from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.; and on Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. Lot M, 1, and 2 permit holders are allowed during public hours only. At all other times, the parking lot is 30-minute parking for bank customers only. 

Although downtown parking is almost always difficult, the problems have been exacerbated this summer due to the closing of the top level of the Lot 3, located on Morningside between 12th and Center Place. As one way of addressing the issue, the city has since established a free parking shuttle that runs from Pacific School to downtown. (See our story for more details on the parking shuttle and on the non-descriptly named Lot 3.)

Built in 1971, Lot 3 predates modern building codes that include crucial seismic safety measures. The city has prioritized that lot for work and is "closely monitoring its condition and weighing options for its replacement," according to a city report on Lot 3.

However, according to the same report from the city, "A 2022 seismic assessment revealed typical deficiencies for a structure of its age, particularly between the second and third levels. City engineers have regularly monitored these issues and recently observed significant degradation, including rusting steel rebar and corroding steel columns, which compromise the structural integrity of the third level and have necessitated the closure of the third floor of parking in Lot 3. Additionally, the staircases leading from the second to third level have become hazardous for pedestrians due to rusted handrails and corroded support structures."

The city shut down parking on the third level of Lot 3 as of June 24 (and had to explain to the public what was meant by "Lot 3").

For specific needs or questions about parking at Lot 3, or for suggestions for a new name for the lot, email Lot3@manhattanbeach.gov.